The city skyline shimmered under the morning sun as news headlines buzzed with one name—Scentra.
"Revenue climbs toward one billion," the news anchor on the screen said, her voice tinged with awe. "Scentra's expansion continues at a pace unseen in recent years, with their elite perfume line taking the luxury world by storm."
Inside Scentra's sleek headquarters, Elara stood before a polished glass table, her eyes cool and focused. Her phone was filled with new orders, supplier requests, and partnership invitations. Yet, she remained unaffected by the noise.
In another part of the city, Victor sat in his private office. The windows stretched from floor to ceiling, casting a stark light over his chiseled features. He tapped his fingers rhythmically against the polished wood of his desk.
"Assistant Lin," he said.
"Yes, Chairman Victor?"
"I want a detailed report on this company… Scentra.he was sure Mae couldn't achieve anything he knew her well enough ,Their sudden rise is suspicious. Find out who their chief perfumer is. I want names, details—everything."
Lin nodded sharply and exited the room. Victor's eyes narrowed as he stared at the name 'Scentra' on his screen. He had a strange feeling… like something just out of reach.
Back in Scentra's private lab, Elara was adjusting the ratio of rare essences with utmost precision. Her latest project: a fragrance series exclusive to Scentra's elite membership holders. She added a few drops of a deep golden oil into the base solution, inhaling the lush, complex aroma that rose.
The lab was quiet, the only sound being the light whir of the extractor. The perfume's scent filled the room like a whispered secret.
Suddenly, her phone vibrated on the table.
"Uncle Jianyu?" she answered.
"Elara, something's happened," his voice was serious. "We have to go back to our hometown. Grandfather's very sick… the doctors say it might be his final hours."
Within the hour, Elara, her mother Mae, and Jianyu were on the road. The journey was somber, each of them lost in their thoughts. As they entered the familiar rural landscape, distant memories began flooding back.
The house was smaller than she remembered, more worn down. As they stepped inside, a harsh voice cracked through the air.
You two money losers just die if you are going to and stop faffing around here
Elara's face were burrowed but she still stepped forward to knock .
"You two again? What are you here for?"
Elara's second aunt stood near the door, arms crossed and face curled in scorn. "Coming back now, after abandoning your own family? What, expecting an inheritance from a couple of sickly burdens?"
"Auntie—" Jianyu started, but Mae stepped forward, her expression ice.
"You will *not* speak about your parents like that."
"Oh, now you act all righteous?" her voice grew shrill. "You left and never looked back. Now you come running when you hear the old man's dying."
"I left to survive. To protect my child," Mae said, her voice steady. "But I never forgot them."
The room was thick with tension. Then, with a crack, Mae's palm met her sister-in-law's cheek. The silence that followed was deafening.
"You dare—!"
"I do. And I will take my parents with me. They're coming home with us."
Elara's grandparents, frail and tearful, nodded slowly. Her grandfather smiled weakly, eyes glinting with pride.
As they packed and prepared to leave, the second aunt sneered.
"Fine! Go ahead and parade them in your run-down city car like trophies."
But as the sleek black vehicle rolled up, a few neighbors gasped.
"Wait... isn't that a SkyPhantom S-Class? That model's worth over ten million!"
"And those clothes—are those *Aurellé* coats?"
Elara and her mother were dressed in low-key, understated luxury. Nothing flashy, but everything cut to perfection.
The aunt's mouth fell open. But Elara didn't spare her a glance.
Later that evening, back in the city, Elara sat at a quiet café. The interior was soft with ambient lighting, music barely audible. She was waiting for Jianyu to finish picking up medicine for their grandfather.
She stood to leave, but as she turned, someone bumped into her hard. A man.
Her perfume bottle slipped from her coat pocket, hit the ground, and shattered.
The scent instantly wafted into the air—warm, bold, and laced with mystique.
The man froze. He wore a fitted suit, cold aura radiating from him like a knife's edge. His sharply defined face twisted slightly in displeasure.
"What is this smell?" he muttered, brushing his coat as if contaminated.
Elara didn't respond. She only raised a brow, watching him with silent disdain as he turned and exited with long strides, his assistant trailing behind.
"Arrogant much?" she murmured under her breath. "You walk like you own the world."
She turned away, more amused than annoyed. If only she knew.
Back at the café, the man sat in the car.
"Secretary Zhang, do you recognize that scent?"
"No, sir. But… it smelled very refined."
He looked out the window, eyes narrowing.
"Find it."
Far from coincidence, their paths had crossed. And the scent of fate lingered in the air.